CASE STUDY
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH.
Requirement
At the University of Guelph, delivering a consistent, high-quality audio experience across large classrooms is critical to supporting effective teaching and learning.
With a large portfolio of centrally supported spaces and increasing demand for hybrid and technology-enabled instruction, the university undertook a strategic initiative to modernize its audio infrastructure.
A key component of this transformation was the replacement of the legacy Class AB amplifiers which had been in service in many large classrooms for more than 20 years. These systems had reached the end of their useful lives and were becoming increasingly unreliable.
Challenges:
- Frequent hardware failures impacting live teaching environments
- No remaining lifecycle value, with equipment well beyond expected service life
- Limited performance consistency across rooms
- No network visibility or monitoring capability
- Inefficient troubleshooting, often requiring in-room intervention
Solution
The APEX CloudPower CP704D Class D amplifier was selected as the replacement for the University of Guelph’s fleet of aging Class AB units.
CP704D’s built-in Dante capability allows seamless integration into the university’s Dante ecosystem for simplified signal flow and reduced system complexity.
The transition to Apex amplification has eliminated legacy failure points by removing aging equipment with no remaining useful life, significantly improving overall system reliability. At the same time, enhanced audio clarity and consistent sound distribution have elevated the teaching and learning experience, particularly in large lecture environments.
As a result, large, high-enrolment classrooms can be supported with greater confidence, backed by a robust and consistent audio infrastructure.
“Replacing our legacy Class AB amplifiers was long overdue. They had exceeded their lifecycle and were becoming a real risk to classroom reliability. The Apex platform allowed us not only to replace that aging infrastructure but also to significantly improve performance and standardize our approach across campus.
We tested these units extensively in live environments with mono, stereo, and fill speaker configurations, and they met our requirements in every case. That gave us the confidence to move forward with full standardization.”
Chris Hewitt
Manager, Classroom Technical Infrastructure, University of Guelph
Project Details
Location
University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Application
Education
APEX products
CloudPower CP704D